


Crash 2.0

by ColorfulStabwound



Series: A Million Little Pieces [11]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Crash 2.0, EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival), Fear, Fluff, Harry Potter Next Generation, Las Vegas, Love, M/M, Making Up, Malfoy Manor, POV Second Person, Portkeys, Slytherins Being Slytherins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-23
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2018-04-05 20:15:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4193439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColorfulStabwound/pseuds/ColorfulStabwound
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You're the drug running through my veins, and the crash right after.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crash 2.0

**Author's Note:**

> The events in this piece can work nicely as a stand alone, although they would probably make a bit more sense if you've read Geronimo/Monkey Tree, since this follows those pieces.
> 
> I started this piece with the intention of writing pure fluff, but clearly I am incapable of such a thing. Randomly inspired by the sea of cars on the freeway headed to EDC this past weekend while I drove to work. :( 
> 
> Endless adoration and thanks go out to my friend and muse in all things, Unkissed.
> 
> For Albus, our favorite boy in the band.

“Please?”

 

It is not the words you say so much as it is the _way_ you are inflecting them that has his skin flushing a soft hue of pink beside you. He has always been absolute shit at denying you, even if it’s been a long while since he’s had to be reminded of it.

 

You recognize internal struggle in his eyes and it curls your mouth into a smirk because you already know that you are going to win this thing—Just a couple more carefully dropped pleas should do it…

 

“Come on baby, it’ll be fun, I promise.” You smile sweetly at him and nod your head encouragingly, mentally willing him to give in and let go.

 

He heaves a defeated sigh when you call him baby and mentally curses himself for falling desperately in love with a Slytherin. “You know how hard it is for me to blend in out there,” He says with a morose tone because he already knows that this will not deter you.

 

Your brow rises at his words and you emit a soft laugh that makes his brows draw together in confusion. It has been long enough since he returned to the manor that you shouldn’t really have to count the days anymore, but you still do. _93_ When he walked back into your life you shed everything that had been built up between you as the result of living out there in the cruel world and although you wish you could keep him sequestered behind the twisted gates of Malfoy Manor forever, you know that that is not a reality that either of you would enjoy.

 

“Let them try, I won’t share you ever again.” You say this a bit more bitterly than you intend to and when he bites his lip and looks vaguely embarrassed, you shake your head because that wasn’t your intention. “Besides, we’re wizards, this shouldn’t even be an obstacle for us.”

 

He lifts his gaze to you again and you stare at each other for a long minute before either of you speak again. “You think I should use a glamour?” He asks quietly with an expression that you cannot read.

 

A soft sigh escapes you as you unfold your legs and crawl across the blanket towards him. “No,” You murmur as you crawl into his lap and curl your fingers around the back of his neck so that he is looking up at you. “I love _you_ , just like you are.” Your words are murmured between feather light kisses that pepper his face. His arms find their way around your waist and hold you so completely that you feel like the most wanted person in the entire world. His head tips back as you press your lips against his cheek and the curve of his mouth is like a beacon calling out to you.

 

No matter how much time passes between you or how old you grow you will never tire of his touch against you skin. Despite the lives you have both lead he is the one person in this world that you will never get out of your system and you like to believe that all of the stumbles and all of the hurting you’ve both done has led the way back to where you both belong.

 

When he kisses you, _really_ kisses you, time ceases to a crawl all around you. His fingers inch beneath your jumper and his touch scorches the skin hiding beneath. The overwhelming desperation for him that lives inside of you breaks free when he slides your shirt up over your head and by the time you break the kiss your lips are swollen and your chest is constricted to the point of gasping. You leave behind indents with your nails on the back of his neck and his bottom lip is bleeding because you bit him harder than you meant to and when he looks up at you just like _that_ it twists your heart into a tiny little knot that feels like an overwhelming mass inside your chest. “I’m sorry,” you say breathlessly as you swipe your thumb over his abused lip and frown.  “It’s okay,” he says so softly that it makes your eyes burn.

 

You don’t mean to be this way and you tell yourself that the desperate need to anchor yourself to him will lessen over time, but it is moments such as this that make you wonder if such a thing is really possible. You have shared him with the world for so long that it has made you possessive and needy. He has seen and experienced things beyond these walls that you don’t want to ever know about, even if you see it in his eyes sometimes, and it cripples you because you never want to let him out of your sight again. Even for a minute.

 

“Hey,” He whispers as he places an open palm against your cheek.

 

“Sorry,” You repeat, and then you squeeze your eyes shut because his touch still burns.

 

“Hey,” he says again, and when you open your eyes he is right there, looking straight into your soul. “I love _you_.” He adds with a faint quirk of his lips that make him look like the Albus you grew up with.

 

It is this exact moment that you realize that Albus was never anything other than yours, even when thousands of miles and the touch of strangers separated you. He still knows you better than he knows himself and even though he can clearly see all of those ugly insecurities that you wear like armor, he still loves you. It is an overwhelming realization that has you gasping for air all over again. When you gulp down the anxiety enough to return his searching gaze he smiles and swipes away the few scant tears that streak down your face and you can finally breathe again. His presence calms you and pushes your fears back, and although he is not foolish enough to believe that this is going away anytime soon, he doesn’t care.

 

When Albus returned to the manor he had decided that he was leaving those pieces of himself that he was too embarrassed to show you, behind. He has spent so long searching for himself that he isn’t sure what he was ever looking for. You may wear your fears on the outside for everyone to see but he feels them just as strongly on the inside. He was terrified to come home because he knew that the stains the world had left on him would hurt you, and you are the one person he was never supposed to hurt at all. He knows that it can’t always be like this but he doesn’t care because he is finally willing to fight for what he wants and he’s ready to overcome whatever obstacle stands in the way.

 

The pureness of the love that is mirrored in his eyes when you look at him makes you smile and sniffle and when you rest your forehead against his, it feels warm instead of like fire. “I love you too, Albie.” You whisper with your eyes closed, and when you feel him shudder against you, you sigh contentedly.

 

Albus lays you down atop the mound of blankets with a smile that melts away your insecurities and chases away your fears. His fingers splay across your bared flesh so softly that you arch into his touch and your skin colors beneath his hands. When he kisses your pale flesh he imparts love and promise upon you in ways that make your eyes flutter. He isn’t sure if you will ever feel comfortable enough to let the panic go but he is determined to show you that you have nothing to worry about anymore. He feels guilty for leaving you alone in this world because he knows how you are and he has always felt like it was his job to protect you. It doesn’t matter to him where either of you have been because he can only see the future, and he hopes that one day you can too.

 

He is kneeling beside you when he inches the denims over your hips with agonizingly slow movements. Your fingers trace over his arms as he hovers over you, gazing down upon you like an unassuming predator. His touch makes you shiver and you pull him down over you and kiss him like it’s the end of the world.

 

“I’ll never leave you again,” He says into your open mouth between desperate kisses and when you pull back enough to look at him, his expression is determined and honest and it cracks you into a million little pieces.

 

There are no words that need to be exchanged after his admission and you aren’t sure if you can formulate a proper response anyhow. His touch traces over your body like he is reacquainting himself with you, patiently working you apart until there is nothing left between you. He feels so good against you that you wish it could always be just like this. His touch is gentle and deceivingly unsure and you revel in the honesty of his love and the heat of his touch. “Mine,” you say as it all comes apart and when he is lying over you like a boneless, heaving duvet, you believe it to be true.

 

∞

 

Three weeks later you find yourself standing in the middle of the closet in the bedroom you shared with Albus on the third floor of the manor. You are eyeing the neatly hanging rows of designer clothing with disdain, hands falling short as you reach for them because you are reluctant to allow anything from that world back into your life.

 

“Still deciding what to bring?” Albus turns up behind you and presses a kiss to the side of your throat before resting his chin on your shoulder and sharing your stare at the rows of garments.

 

“I don’t think any of these things will work.” You say with a shrug and when his arms snake around your middle you close your eyes and smile.

 

“Well, you better hurry if you want to make that portkey.” Albus disengages from you and swats your bum playfully before retreating back into the bedroom.

 

When you are alone you glance around the massive walk-in closet and you find yourself smiling despite how lost you still feel. You turn away from the racks of expensive suits and throw open a couple of drawers instead. This was _your_ weekend and you refused to let anything destroy it; even something as innocuous as fashion labels.

 

“Let’s do this.” You say to Albus as you stand in the middle of the entry hall staring at each other. There is a small, satin lined box sitting on the table between you with a brass whistle nestled within the folds. Aunt Daphne had gone out of her way to procure the international portkey for you and although you had no way of knowing that she was not a stranger to doing this sort of thing for Malfoy men, you hadn’t been able to thank her enough. 

 

Albus grins and links his hand with yours and your pulse instantly picks up the pace. “Together,” He murmurs, and when you nod you both reach for the whistle at the same time and are instantly tugged away from Wiltshire and the protective confines of Malfoy Manor.

 

Nevada hits you like a soggy dishrag and you find yourself tugging at the collar of the worn t-shirt you wore. “Fucking hell, I forgot how _hot_ it is here.” Albus says as he removes the beanie he was wearing to brush sweaty strands of hair off his forehead.  “You don’t need that.” You say as you take the knit hat from him and toss it over your shoulder with a mischievous grin.  You know that the chances of him being recognized are extremely high, but right now you don’t care because you don’t plan on sharing him with anyone at all.

 

When the two of you step outside of the hotel you slide your sunglasses on and walk hand in hand down the Las Vegas Strip. The heat from thousands of glittering lights have nothing on the heat that radiates from the sun hanging high overhead and you revel in every sweaty moment. The last time you were in this city you were still a teenager and had thought you were invincible. You were following Albus and The White Lies across a small tour of the states and you still had the ignorance of youth on your side. You had stood beside him in one of the many gaudy chapels in this city that never slept and solidified your bond in a union that had run far deeper than the unofficial document that signified the moment. It was one of the happiest days of your entire life and more than anything you wanted to regain that feeling you once had.

 

The afternoon dwindles away as you explore the city together and it is only mildly shocking that not a single person has stopped to ask Albus for an autograph. Of course that could have something to do with the anti-detection charms you had placed on his clothing when he was still sleeping this morning, but he doesn’t need to know that. When you smile to yourself he asks you what you’re thinking and you shake your head and distract him with kisses. This was his weekend as much as it was yours and you plan on making it something neither one of you will ever forget.

 

By the time you are sliding into the back of a taxicab the following evening, every single nerve you possess is alight. Your insides are a swirling mass of anxious excitement and you are eager to share this experience with the boy at your side.  “So, what exactly is an EDC?” He asks as the dingy glitz of the strip passes by in a blur all around you.

 

“Electric Daisy Carnival,” You say with a smile that is not nearly as innocent as you are trying to convey. 

 

“So it’s a muggle carnival.” He replies smoothly and when your smile curves into a smirk he shrugs a shoulder. “I trust you.” He adds a bit more quietly, and it is enough to dry the words right in your throat.

 

It is beneath the electric sky that you find yourself pressed up against Albus and a million strangers that don’t even know you’re alive. Neon dreamscapes and universal beats have nothing on the overwhelming sensation that pumps in your veins. It doesn’t matter where you’ve been or even where you are going because you realize that you belong right here, in this moment. Albus is a thrumming, perfect jumble and when you raise your arms and surrender, he is right there with you like he was always meant to be. When you kiss you feel the energy that surges through the night pulsing in your veins and it is mirrored back in his touch like an unforgiving bass drum pounding a relentless beat. You revel in the completeness of feeling utterly miniscule in the universe that surrounds you and you wonder why you ever thought you were something you are not. When you take his hand and drag him through the crowd he follows you with no resistance and when you press him up against the side barrier of the bassPOD, he fists the front of your shirt and crashes his mouth against yours because you are sharing a singular thought with no boundaries, just as it has always been. There is no drug, drink, or otherworldly sensation that can compare to the way you feel right now and you think that feeling is magnified back at you in his kiss. When you break apart panting it is with a shared understanding that you gaze into his eyes and when he bites his lip and manages a sinister smirk you think that you could lose it all right there.

 

“Come on,” He shouts over the deafening beat and although you don’t hear a single word, you still understand.

 

He grabs your hand and manages to navigate the sea of bodies with a precision that you can appreciate and by the time he has you pressed up against a stonewall in a shadowy alcove, you can hardly breathe at all. He bites your lips and claws at your skin and although you think you should shy away from this level of love, you welcome it all because it is a part of him.

 

Albus’ fingertips slide over your arms and guide them up over your head, where he holds them firmly as he assaults you. His teeth nip at your throat and his body presses up against you so firmly that you can hardly move. You let him abuse you because you think this is what he needs and the pain of his actions is nothing compared to the pain of living without him.

 

Every inch of your skin that he can reach with his mouth is singing with his fire and you know that you will look like a battered version of yourself tomorrow but you don’t care. You love him so much it hurts, and although you both have been working to put your lives back together since he came home, neither one of you can deny that there are so many things still left unsaid. When he pulls back to look at you, you see the tarnish the world has left on him and it makes your heart hurt. He looks wild and untamable and you don’t want to think about what that means for either one of you. Something seems to click behind his eyes and you watch as his pupils return to their normal size. His grip on your wrists falls away and the raw burns from the cement wall on you skin go unnoticed. “I’m sorry,” he says and he sounds so broken that you take his face in your hands and shake your head. “I love every part of you.” You say as his gaze falls away, and when he glances back up at you with a nervous smile, you both know it’s true.

 

It’s right in the middle of this fantastical and distinct union of technology and nature when the last vestiges of the world he left behind for you fall away. The soundtrack that surges across the electric sky moves your energy with his and you strip away every layer and barrier that remains between you. When you touch him he comes alive like he never has before and when he kisses you, the music forges with your souls that have always shared a singular vessel.  You fuck beneath a galaxy of stars and an infinite show of lights and your unified release is swallowed up by the beat like a life force.

 

By the time you fall into your bed back at the hotel you are high on the euphoria of what it feels like to be filled up with a love that is utterly transcendent. You have no real idea if it is the music, the experience, or just the power of standing in Albus’ light, but you never want to lose this high again. “Not sure I can survive two more days of that.” He mumbles around a yawn as he curls himself around you from behind. “Who needs sleep?” You say as you close your eyes and you are still smiling ridiculously large when you drift off to sleep.

 

“Time to get up.” The words filter into your subconscious like they are coming from a muffled speaker and you sigh softly and balance on that fine line between sleep and waking.  “Scor,” He says as he traces delicate lines over your skin with the tip of his finger.

 

His touch is cold and it has you squirming lazily away from him. He chuckles and drops a kiss to your lips and you smile and open your eyes. When you stare up at him, he is a brilliant and fuzzy blur above you and you realize that you are right where you always want to be.

 

“Let’s get married,” You say with a smile on your lips as your fingers interlock with his.

 

“Er, little late for that.” He replies, before distracting you with kisses.

 

“It’s never too late.” You say between lingering kisses and although Albus doesn’t respond, he is inclined to agree.


End file.
